Tooth extraction vibrator

ABSTRACT

A vibration device is provided for use with a tooth-extracting instrument. In one embodiment, the device comprises an integral power-driven unit adapted to be strapped to the hand holding the instrument. In another embodiment, both the instrument and the vibrating device are carried by an arm of a dental machine. The vibrations imparted to the instrument facilitate removal of the tooth.

United States Patent [191 Diliberto Aug. 6, 1974 TOOTH EXTRACTION VIBRATOR Primary Examiner-Robert Peshock [76] Inventor: Joseph F. Dlhberto 41 H1" To Cir, Worcester, g 01609 p Attorney, Agent, or Fzrm-Wrttemore, Hulbert & Belknap [22] Filed: Nov. 6, 1972 [21] Appi. No.: 303,697 [57] ABSTRACT A vibration device is provided for use with a tooth- [52] US. Cl. 32/61 extracting instrument. In one embodiment, the device [51] Int. Cl. A616 3/10 comprises an integrill power-driven unit adapted to be [58] Field of Search 128/32, 36; 32/61 strapped to the hand holding the instrument. In another embodiment, both the instrument and the vi- [56] References Cited brating device are carried by an arm of a dental ma- UNITED STATES PATENTS chine. The vibrations imparted to the instrument facil- 2,19s,442 4/1940 Oster 128/36 removal of the tooth' 2,488,846 ll/l949 Bergendal v 32/54 2,777,198 1 1957 Wallace 32/61 1 5 Drawmg Flgures 1 TOOTH EXTRACTION VIBRATOR SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention provides both a method and a means to facilitate the removal of a tooth. In accordance with conventional practice, a tooth is loosened and separated from the tissue solely by manipulation of the forceps or elevator. I have found that the loosening of the tooth is greatly facilitated and the total time required for extraction reduced if the instrument is vibrated while it is being used; To this end, I have provided a power-operated device for imparting vibrations to the instrument-If the instrument is held in the hand, the vibrator may be strapped to the back of the hand. If the instrument is mounted on an arm of a dental machine, the vibrator also may be mounted on the arm.

Two embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a toothextracting instrument held in the hand and a vibrator strapped to the back of the hand.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the vibrator shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is aview showing the jaws of an instrument applied to a tooth, indicating the vibratory motion tending to loosen the tooth.

FIG. 4 is an elevational view showing an instrument mounted on the arm of a dental machine and a vibrator also mounted on the arm.

4 FIG. 5 is an end view of the structure shown in FIG. 3.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings and especially to FIG. 1, there is shown an instrument in the form of forceps held in the hand 12 of a dentist for the purpose of extracting a tooth. Also seen in FIG. 1 is a vibration device 14' secured to the back of the hand.

The device 14 is a power-operated device comprising an electric motor 16 which may be plugged into an electrical outlet by means of the wiring 18. A strap 22 extends from the housing 20 of the motor. Strap 22 is shown as a continuous member of elastic or leather, for example, having the ends secured to the housing and extending across the palm of the hand. It may obviously consist of separate strap members tied together by a buckle or other suitable releasable fastening device.

The motor has an output shaft 26 the end of which may be seen projecting beyond the motor housing 20, formed with an eccentric weight 28 on one side of the axis of rotation of the shaft. Eccentric 28 provides the means for inducing vibrations whendriven by the motor 16.

Because of the eccentric 28, operation of the motor 16 will cause the motor to vibrate on the back of the I l to give the vibratory motion shown in FIG. 3, al-

though the shaft may extend transversely of the instrument if desired. It will be understood that the instrument 10 while shown as a pair of forceps, may be any other instrument intended to extract or loosen a tooth, such for example as an elevator.

It has been found that the application of externally induced vibrations or oscillations to the instrument, in this instance through the hand of the operator, greatly facilitates the loosening and ultimate removal of the tooth and also substantially reduces the total time required to accomplish the extraction. These vibrations should be side to side as in FIG..3 and as induced in the instrument by the device 14 when strapped to the hand as in FIG. 1.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate the. instrument 10, again shown as a pair of forceps but being representative only of a tooth extracting or tooth loosening instrument, mounted on or carried by the swingable arm 40 of an ordinary dental machine. The arm 40 in this instance is shown as being substantially L-shaped having the integral portions 42 and 44. The free end of the arm portion 44 is pivoted to the forceps 10 at 46 near the tooth gripping portion of the forceps and preferably parallel to and at about the point where the jaws 47 of the forceps are pivoted together. Actually, the pivot 46 for the mounting of the forceps in this instance coincides with the pivot axis of the jaws.

A power-operated device 50 is securely mounted upon the arm portion 42 by straps 54. The poweroperated device 50 comprises an electric motor 56 operated by wiring 57 and having an output shaft 58 provided on its end with a disc 60 carrying a pin 62 eccentric with respect to the rotational axis of motor output shaft 58. This pin extends into a slot 64 in a link 66 the lowerend of which is pivoted to one of the hand grip portions 68 of the forceps 10 at the end thereof where indicated at 70, at a point spaced a substantial distance from the pivotal connection of the forceps to the arm portion 44. The link 66 is guided for straight line axial reciprocation by the slot 72 in the arm portion 42. The slot 64 extends at right angles to the link 66 and is of a length greater than the diameter of the path of rotation of pin 62 so that the pin when rotated by motor 56 will produce only straight line reciprocation of the link without any side movement.

When the motor 56 is operated, the link 60 will reciprocate in a straight line along its length causing the forceps to oscillate about the point of pivotal connection 46.

The arrow in FIG. 4 shows the direction of reciprocation or vibration induced by the device 50, such direction of the motion corresponding to that shown in FIG! 3. In other words, FIG. 3 may be taken as showing the direction of vibratory motion resulting from the use of the device of FIGS. 4 and 5 as well as from the use of the device of FIGS. 1 and 2. For best results, the motor shaft 58 should be parallel to the instrument, as shown in FIG. 4, to give the vibratory motion shown in FIG. 3, although the shaft may extend transversely of the instrument, if desired. Also, the pivot 46 should extend parallel to the pivot axis of the jaws so that the jaws vibrate side to side (see FIG. 3) rather than up and down.

In use, the dentist will grip the hand grip portions 68 of the forceps and the action of the reciprocating link 66 by the operation of motor 56 will transmit through the arm of the dental machine a vibratory or oscillatory motion to the instrument which will greatly facilitate the loosening and ultimate removal of the tooth and substantially reduce the total time required for the extraction.

It will be noted that the pin 62 instead of being mounted where shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 may be alternatively mounted in either of the holes 80 or 81 which are spaced different distances from the axis of rotation of motor shaft 58.Thus the amplitude of the oscillatory movement may be varied by mounting the pin 62 in either of the holes 80, 81 instead of in the hole where shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A method of loosening or extracting a tooth comprising providing a tooth-loosening or extracting instrument having a tooth-engaging portion at one end and a handle portion at the other end, providing a poweroperated vibration device, gripping said instrument in the palm of the hand by the handle portion thereof so that the tooth-engaging portion is spaced from the hand, securing said vibration device to the back of the hand, engaging a tooth with the tooth-engaging portion of the instrument while gripping the handle portion of the instrument in the palm of the hand as aforesaid and energizing said power-operated vibration device whereby to transmit the vibrations of said vibration device through the hand to the tooth-engaging portion of the instrument with a leverage depending upon the distance between the hand and the tooth-engaging portion of the instrument. 

1. A method of looSening or extracting a tooth comprising providing a tooth-loosening or extracting instrument having a tooth-engaging portion at one end and a handle portion at the other end, providing a power-operated vibration device, gripping said instrument in the palm of the hand by the handle portion thereof so that the tooth-engaging portion is spaced from the hand, securing said vibration device to the back of the hand, engaging a tooth with the tooth-engaging portion of the instrument while gripping the handle portion of the instrument in the palm of the hand as aforesaid and energizing said poweroperated vibration device whereby to transmit the vibrations of said vibration device through the hand to the tooth-engaging portion of the instrument with a leverage depending upon the distance between the hand and the tooth-engaging portion of the instrument. 